She, and Her - Chapter 1

In the long, dark night, Shi Ye jolted awake once again, drenched in sweat from her dream.

The floor-to-ceiling window framed the woman’s pale, bare back in a striking contrast.

She reached for the cigarette pack on the nightstand, deftly pulled out a cigarette, and placed it between her lips. With a click of the lighter, a crimson flame danced at her fingertips. As she exhaled a plume of smoke, Shi Ye replayed the dream in her mind.

Since turning eighteen, she had been having this dream, each time with a different beginning.

In the dream, Cheng Yu Fan stood with her back to her on a rocky outcrop, her slender figure and white shirt bathed in a moonlit glow.

Shi Ye walked over and took her hand, her fingertips tracing each knuckle as she softly called her name: “Cheng Yu Fan.”

Cheng Yu Fan turned and smiled at her.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Shi Ye asked.

Instead of answering, Cheng Yu Fan took Shi Ye’s hand and pressed it against the spot closest to her heart.

The salty sea breeze carried the dry heat of early spring. Waves crashed against the shore, wetting their bare feet.

White clouds, a blue sea, and the sky’s colors all seemed to fade.

The girl carried a unique fragrance, a strange, fruity scent.

Driven by her racing heart and the intoxicating aroma, Shi Ye indulged in a forbidden act. She brushed Cheng Yu Fan’s hair aside, her fingertips tracing the curve of her brow before pressing her lips to hers.

In that moment, Prometheus stole fire, and Shi Ye stole Cheng Yu Fan’s kiss.

The jagged coastline rose and fell, waves surging relentlessly, one after another.

A ringtone shattered the spell, the red haze of intoxication fading.

Shi Ye stubbed out her cigarette and glanced at the screen. It was her assistant, Wen Yaoyao, calling.

She rubbed her temples before finally reaching for her phone and answering on speakerphone.

“Sis, the wrap party’s over.”

“Mm.”

Shi Ye’s lazy, nasal tone sent a shiver down Wen Yaoyao’s spine, nearly causing her to drop the phone.

Shi Ye rose and headed for the bathroom.

Naked, her slender waist cinched, she padded barefoot across the plush carpet. Her luminous, jade-like skin glowed like a radiant gemstone.

Hearing the rustling sounds, Wen Yaoyao suddenly felt a lump in her throat. As if remembering something, she tentatively asked,

“Sis, did you have… that dream again?”

Shi Ye was gathering her long hair behind her head. She paused, then childishly wiped the mirror, leaving streaks of water. Droplets trickled down the streaks, like the dream she’d just had.

A smile flickered across her lips, followed by another bone-melting “Mmm.”

Wen Yaoyao’s face flushed crimson, and two words instantly popped into her mind: “Seductress!”

“Sis… that-that-that… the flight is at 3 PM tomorrow. You should get some rest. I won’t bother you anymore~”

With that, she hurriedly hung up.

Wen Yaoyao took a deep breath, a thin layer of sweat forming on her forehead. She cursed herself inwardly:

Damn it! It’s not like you had an erotic dream! Why are you so embarrassed?!

The smile lingered on Shi Ye’s lips as she turned off her phone. She took a quick shower, then returned to bed, hugging the blanket and inhaling deeply. Her heart suddenly trembled—the scent from the dream seemed to linger on the fabric.

Before drifting off, Shi Ye murmured to herself:

“Cheng Yu Fan, good night.”

Early the next morning—

Haiyu Media’s entrance was swarming with reporters from all sides, their cameras and microphones poised like hungry predators, creating a scene reminiscent of trapping turtles in a jar.

Inside the office, Jiang Fangli pointed at Wen Yaoyao and erupted into a hysterical tirade:

“Still can’t reach her? What good are you?! Useless! Useless!!!”

“Shi Ye’s phone is off too! I’m going to find her right now! Right now!” Wen Yaoyao shouted before bolting out of the room.

Jiang Fangli pivoted her fury toward the others: “What are you standing around for?! Go downstairs and tell security to block everyone! If a single reporter gets past them, you’re all fired!”

Jiang Fangli was Shi Ye’s manager, a position forced upon her by Shi Ye’s mother, Zhao Ye. To be precise, Zhao Ye had planted Jiang Fangli as her spy, keeping a close watch on Shi Ye. Bound by Zhao Ye’s authority, everyone had always obeyed Jiang Fangli’s orders without question, simmering with resentment but daring not to voice it.

In the few hours since the video was leaked at dawn, Jiang Fangli’s two phones had been bombarded non-stop. She thought… rather than let Shi Ye be branded as a promiscuous woman in the public eye, it would be better to package her as an innocent victim. All it would take was a report, and Shi Jianping would definitely help Shi Ye handle it.

Meanwhile, Wen Yaoyao took a special passage down to the parking garage. With a beep, she unlocked her car, slid inside, and began backing out while cursing, “You dog-ass bully! Fat-headed, big-eared pig—you don’t even know who the real freeloader is! My sister will teach you a lesson sooner or later!”

At the same time, Wen Yaoyao tried calling Shi Ye again, but her phone remained switched off.

She turned on the radio, where an entertainment show host’s lively voice announced—

“At five o’clock this morning, a ten-minute s3x tape was leaked, featuring A-list actress Shi Ye and actor Chu Yang. Let’s get in touch with Jiang Fangli, Shi Ye’s manager at Haiyu Media, to hear her explanation.”

After a brief tap dance sound effect, Jiang Fangli’s voice rang out—

“It’s clear from the video that the woman was intoxicated and disoriented, unable to resist. We will pursue this matter to the fullest extent!”

Reporter 1: “The video directly @’d Shi Ye. Are you saying she was forced into having s3x?”

Reporter 2: “At last night’s wrap party, did Chu Yang pressure her to drink? Was Shi Ye’s aloof persona just a facade?”

Reporter 3: “There have been rumors of conflict between them before. Is this incident directly related?”

Jiang Fangli: “The company is currently trying to contact Shi Ye. We will report this to the police and use legal means to protect her rights. No further comment at this time!”

Red light—

Screech!

Wen Yaoyao slammed on the brakes, nearly hitting her head on the steering wheel. She stared blankly at the car’s screen, cold sweat dripping down her back—

“She’s such a damn idiot! Even now, she’s still trying to be clever…”

Shi Ye had a habit of taking a three-month break after each film, during which she cut off all contact with the outside world. No one could reach her until the time was up.

Wen Yaoyao glanced at her watch. Her flight was at 3 PM. She hoped Shi Ye hadn’t left yet.

The spacious apartment on Chongming Road had been purchased with Shi Ye’s earnings from her first film. When she was working on a project, she stayed in hotels with the crew. During her breaks, she retreated to this apartment to rest.

After about forty minutes, Wen Yaoyao arrived at Chongming Road.

Paparazzi were already staking out the entrance. Wen Yaoyao instinctively hunched her shoulders, rolled down the car window just enough to extend her arm and swipe her access card. As soon as the gate lifted, she slammed on the gas and sped into the parking lot.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Wen Yaoyao pulled up her hoodie, tightened the collar, and took the elevator straight to the twentieth floor.

Knock, knock, knock!

Shi Ye hadn’t slept well the night before, only managing to doze off at dawn. She hadn’t been asleep long when the pounding on her door jolted her awake. Her head throbbed as if it had been struck, and she slammed her fist into the pillow, leaving a temporary dent that immediately sprang back into shape.

“Who is it? What’s the rush? Stop knocking!”

The moment the door swung open, Wen Yaoyao nearly passed out from lack of oxygen. If Shi Ye had taken another half-minute, she would have surely fainted.

“Come in, come in!” Wen Yaoyao tugged Shi Ye inside, pushing her through the doorway. “Sis, where did you go last night?”

“Where else would I go? After hanging up with you, I took a shower and went to bed.”

Shi Ye was notoriously grumpy when she woke up, and a bad night’s sleep could ruin her whole day. “And you? What’s with all the banging this early? I—”

“Sis, something terrible has happened!”

Wen Yaoyao’s eyes were filled with grave concern. Shi Ye had never seen her like this before, the usually cheerful girl now so serious, and she froze in surprise.

“What happened?”

“You were… sexually assaulted!”

Shi Ye’s mind struggled to process the words. “Me? Sexually assaulted?”

Her first thought flashed to last night’s erotic dream. She pointed at herself and blurted out, “That’s nonsense! I’m the one who tops!”

Three black lines appeared above Wen Yaoyao’s head.

“Ugh, just look for yourself—”

She handed Shi Ye her phone.

The video showed a woman pinned beneath Chu Yang, her face flushed with drunken redness. Her arm was twisted at an unnatural angle, and the camera swayed back and forth in front of her face, yet she remained completely unresponsive, motionless like a puppet. But none of that mattered. The crucial point was that this woman’s figure and facial features bore an uncanny resemblance to Shi Ye herself.

Shi Ye froze for a second, momentarily mistaking the figure on screen for her own doppelganger. But rationality returned in an instant.

“That’s not me. You know I can’t touch men—”

“Of course I know it’s not you, but the problem is… Jiang Fangli, she…”

Wen Yaoyao’s words were cut short by a news notification popping up on her phone—Jiang Fangli’s response to the reporters’ interview.

Shi Ye’s fists clenched. “Pig-headed idiot!”

“Sister, what do we do now?” Wen Yaoyao asked.

The drowsiness faded, and Shi Ye paused, a sharp glint in her eyes.

“Is Shi Jianping there?”

“Yes, President Zhao is there too.”

“Let’s go to the company!”

Wen Yaoyao’s mind raced. Having worked with Shi Ye for so long, she immediately understood her plan.

“Sister… you mean… turn the tables? Use her own scheme against her?”

Shi Ye sneered. “I was just wondering how to fire her, and she conveniently handed me the perfect excuse.”

Wen Yaoyao nodded in understanding.

“Alright, Sister. I’ll take your car out the main gate to draw the paparazzi away. Five minutes later, you take my car out through the underground garage.”

After evading the paparazzi, Shi Ye arrived at Haiyu Media forty minutes later and took a private elevator straight to the sixteenth floor.

“Good morning, Miss Shi.”

“Where’s Jiang Fangli?” Shi Ye asked coldly, her voice devoid of warmth.

“She’s in the office with Chairman Shi and the others.”

The sharp click of her high heels echoed across the polished marble floor, each step a piercing staccato. The staff member who had answered her stood frozen, afraid to move.

Bang! The door burst open.

Shi Ye stormed up to Jiang Fangli and slapped her across the face.

The resounding slap left Jiang Fangli’s cheek instantly swollen.

Everyone in the office froze, their eyes snapping toward the commotion.

Shi Ye’s fury blazed, sparks flying from her eyes.

“How could you handle this so badly?! Do you even understand the gravity of sexual assault?!”

Jiang Fangli was stunned by the blow.

“You—”

“You what?! Look at the mess you’ve made!”

Jiang Fangli finally regained her composure, but she remained convinced that the woman in the video was Shi Ye. Even after being slapped, she stubbornly refused to back down.

“The video clearly shows her face. I’m just trying to minimize the damage!”

“Minimize the damage?” Shi Ye ground her teeth, the sound grating. “How can you be so sure the person in the video is me? Did you secretly film it? Or did you crawl under my bed to find it?”

Shi Ye raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed and her expression dark and intimidating.

“Given how this has escalated, it’s not unreasonable to ask for a new manager, is it?”

This was directed at Shi Jianping, who sat beside Zhao Ye.

“President Zhao…” Jiang Fangli panicked. “President Zhao…”

Shi Jianping’s face darkened to a dangerous level. Zhao Ye remained silent.

Shi Ye sneered at Jiang Fangli. “Get out.”

The secretary, sensing the situation, promptly escorted Jiang Fangli out before the CEO could even speak.

As soon as Jiang Fangli was gone, Shi Ye tilted her head back, her long neck arching like a proud white swan. Even when Zhao Ye stepped closer, she refused to lower her gaze.

“It’s best if it wasn’t you,” Zhao Ye said. “The woman in the video doesn’t even look like you.”

With that, Zhao Ye turned to Shi Jianping. “A misunderstanding.”

“You can leave now,” Shi Jianping said.

Zhao Ye’s lips curled into a smile, her ambiguous gaze sweeping over Shi Ye. Shi Ye stared straight ahead, treating her as if she were invisible.

The originally open door closed behind Zhao Ye as she left.

Shi Jianping approached, his cologne nauseatingly strong. Shi Ye’s disgust focused in her pupils.

“Now that we’re alone, tell me the truth. Was it you?”

Shi Ye stood in a sleek, form-fitting black dress that accentuated her perfect waistline and tightly hugged her hips, outlining her feminine curves. Her slender, pale legs shone brightly.

He stared intently at her, arrogantly scanning her from head to toe as if she were not a person but a porcelain figurine on a display shelf—one he could shatter with a careless touch.

Shi Ye remained composed, her voice clear and measured as she stated firmly, “It wasn’t me.”

Shi Jianping’s expression shifted subtly, relief evident. He chuckled, thinking she wouldn’t dare act behind his back.

“I’m relieved it wasn’t you. Don’t worry… I’ll make sure you get an explanation for all of this.”

With that, he raised his hand to place it on Shi Ye’s shoulder.

Bang! The door burst open.

“Chairman Shi!” Wen Yaoyao rushed in.

Shi Jianping froze mid-motion, forced to retract his hand. “Get out! Who told you to come in here?!” he snapped.

Wen Yaoyao pointed outside. “Reporters! Reporters have broken in!”

“I’m leaving now,” Shi Ye said quickly, then hurried away.

Seeing this, Wen Yaoyao chased after her. “Sister! Don’t go that way! There are reporters there!”

Shi Jianping was left alone in the office, staring at his empty palm, his brow furrowed into a deep frown. After a moment of silence, he dialed Sun Xudong, the head of Starsea Law Firm.

Meanwhile, Shi Ye ran into Zhao Ye.

Mother and daughter locked eyes, a cold current passing between them.

“You shouldn’t have gotten rid of Jiang Fangli. She was genuinely looking out for you.”

Shi Ye ignored her remark, her expression indifferent as she leaned close to Zhao Ye’s ear and whispered, “Are you disappointed it wasn’t me?”

Zhao Ye remained even more composed than Shi Ye, her voice dripping with excessive affection. “Shi Ye, I am your mother.”

Shi Ye scoffed. “So you do remember.”

After leaving Haiyu Media, Shi Ye drove back to her house on Chongming Road.

The first thing she did upon arriving home was rip off her dress, tear it to shreds, and throw it in the trash.

For the past two years, Starsea Law Firm had handled Haiyu Media’s legal affairs. Media companies inevitably face lawsuits, but these were usually commercial disputes or economic conflicts. This was the first time they’d dealt with a case involving leaked s3x tapes.

Sun Xudong knocked on Cheng Yu Fan’s office door and entered, placing a cup of coffee on her desk.

“There’s a meeting upstairs later. Everyone from the corporate department and family law division will be there. You should join us too.”

Cheng Yu Fan, dressed in a suit and blouse, had her long black hair draped over her shoulders, the ends curling slightly outward—a typical lawyer’s professional attire.

“You know I don’t handle s3x crimes.”

“It’s just for show. Wu Qian from mergers and acquisitions, Zhu Yi from the corporate department, and Ji Yang from dispute resolution—Starsea Law Firm is pulling out all the stops. Your brilliant defense in that last acquittal was legendary. Not attending this… would be inappropriate. Do it as a favor to Shi Jianping. Besides, it definitely won’t end up on your plate. Relax.”

Cheng Yu Fan’s makeup was light, her expression equally subdued. Behind her, a massive floor-to-ceiling window bathed the room in bright sunlight, yet somehow… the dazzling light only accentuated her aloofness. After a moment’s contemplation—

“Fine.”

Conference Room—

Eight lawyers were present, with Cheng Yu Fan being the only woman among them. The other seven were all men. It wasn’t that Starsea Law Firm lacked female lawyers; it was simply that she was the only one qualified to attend this particular meeting.

The large screen played the explicit video. After it finished, Sun Xudong cut to the chase:

“Same as always, everyone share your opinions.”

The lawyers’ expressions varied, but Cheng Yu Fan remained detached, not even looking up as she twirled a black pen between her fingers.

“Hmm… she’s got a great figure,” Ji Yang suddenly blurted out, instantly shattering the serious atmosphere.

The others chuckled, their remarks laced with contempt: “You’re such a smooth talker. As if we can’t see for ourselves.”

“I think we should settle this case. If it goes to court, neither side will look good.”

“Looking good is secondary. The real question is: is this video authentic? In this day and age, you can’t trust a celebrity’s word. Still… for that smoking hot body, I’d be willing to put in some effort. Ha ha ha!”

The impeccably suited elites erupted in laughter, instantly evoking the image of sanctimonious hypocrites—or, perhaps more accurately, depraved wolves in sheep’s clothing.

As the saying goes:

What’s lewd above is shriveled below.

In this context, the adage couldn’t be more fitting.

Cheng Yu Fan’s pen clattered against the table, a deliberate sound neither loud nor soft, yet audible to everyone present. Those uninvolved in the conversation looked up, their expressions composed and serious.

“Are you aware that the subject of your discussion is present? I’d like to remind you that any of us could become her legal counsel. As her lawyers, our goal is to win. What’s this? Before the case even begins, you’re already plotting to turn the plaintiff into the defendant?”

Silence fell over the room. They had likely forgotten a female lawyer was present.

Sun Xudong smoothed things over and resumed the meeting.

After the meeting adjourned, Sun Xudong called Cheng Yu Fan back.

“What’s your take on this?”

Cheng Yu Fan rolled the black gel pen between her fingers.

“I don’t have one.”

Shi Ye waited all day, but no news came. Online opinion was in a frenzy, with every kind of insult imaginable. The company had already shut down the comment sections, but that didn’t stop marketing accounts from stirring up trouble. The abusive comments below were so vile they could blind you.

If it had been her own fault, she might have accepted it. But the problem wasn’t her doing at all. Someone had inexplicably dumped this massive pile of sh1t on her head, and Shi Ye refused to swallow this humiliation.

“Sis, the dragon fruit smoothie is—”

Wen Yaoyao’s words were cut short when she saw Shi Ye fully armed and standing in the entryway, ready to leave.

“You can’t go out!”

“If I don’t get out, I’ll suffocate!” Shi Ye cursed, and her assistant couldn’t stop her. Setting down the smoothie, Wen Yaoyao followed Shi Ye to Starsea Law Firm.

Wearing a baseball cap, a long trench coat, and a black mask that covered all but her eyes, Shi Ye looked every bit the suspicious, unidentified figure. The receptionist stopped her.

“Ma’am, do you have an appointment?”

Shi Ye didn’t answer. She removed her mask, revealing a face so exquisite it made people’s gazes freeze. It was undeniable—this face was a divine gift from the goddess Nüwa, capable of captivating both men and women.

Her attitude, however, left much to be desired.

“Miss Shi—”

“I want to see General Manager Sun!”

Shi Ye charged forward, Wen Yaoyao hot on her heels. As they brushed past a wall of photos, something flashed in Wen Yaoyao’s mind. She slammed on the brakes and whirled around.

“Cheng Yu Fan? A woman! What are the odds?”

The assistant muttered to herself, repeating the name twice more:

“Cheng Yu Fan, Cheng Yu Fan…”

Just then, someone emerged from the tea room.

“Are you looking for me?”

Wen Yaoyao looked up, stunned. The person before her was identical to the woman in the photo, even more beautiful in person.

“I… I… Sis! Sis!”

Then she ran off.

Cheng Yu Fan frowned, a look of confusion on her face, but she didn’t dwell on it. The law firm often attracted eccentric types. She turned and headed back to her office.

Meanwhile, Shi Ye was throwing a tantrum in the reception area. Wen Yaoyao found her just as she was shouting, “You useless, good-for-nothing fools!”

“Sister! Sister!”

“Don’t pull me! I’m not finished yet!”

“But… Cheng, Cheng—”

“Cheng my ass! Not a single phone call all day! Do you think earning millions in agency fees is this easy?!”

Wen Yaoyao was so frantic she felt like her head was about to explode. She tried to interrupt, but Shi Ye’s words were firing out like bullets from a machine gun, leaving her tongue-tied and unable to get a word in edgewise. With a frustrated stomp of her foot, Wen Yaoyao gave up trying to speak and simply dragged Shi Ye out of the room.

“What are you doing?!”

“Cheng Yu Fan! Cheng Yu Fan!”

Shi Ye froze, a sudden calm washing over her amidst her agitation.

Seizing the moment, Wen Yaoyao dragged Shi Ye to a glass door and shoved her inside without another word.

Shi Ye stumbled, then looked up—

Clear breeze, bright moon—

Cheng Yu Fan.